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The promise of a new year is before us. A time for brand new resolutions for 2023 or to jump start resolutions that have been pledged in years gone by and forgotten by the end of January. For the British Columbia Literacy Council, our resolutions each year for many years have been consistent.

1. Look for ways to support the literacy goals of the International Literacy Association within in British Columbia.
2. To provide the leadership opportunities for educators to network and support each other in the task of supporting the literacy development of their students, school community and the larger literacy community.

I am honoured to have been invited to be a part of the Nominating Committee for the International Literacy Association as one of the international members. It is inspiring to see the commitment to improving opportunities and literacy practices worldwide continues undaunted by the impact of COVID.

Working in a COVID context has been an uphill challenge, to say the very least. It has come with wins and losses as educators in British Columbia and the rest of the world, have been taxed with their own personal challenges at home, as well as the fear, frustration, and stresses of their school community. Medals are warranted! We have certainly learned that online meetings do not come close to the support, collaboration and inspiration of face-to-face meetings and professional development.

I just recently completed a pilot project providing 3 weeks of daily literacy sessions for 3- and 4-year-old children. In talking to parents, I went back to the demonstration of Matthew Arnold's notion of the "empty vessel". As I poured sand into the jar and explained that learning does not happen this way, it was as if I was presenting newly discovered information. Online programs, tutoring for young children, workbooks and programs promising immediate results gained leverage in a COVID world. More than ever, educators are needed to support parents in understanding that listening, speaking, reading, and writing are communicative processes that develop over time rather than memorization exercises that can be quickly mastered and checked off a list. We have our work cut out for us.

Upcoming February Leadership Workshop:

We are excited that Rob Tierney, Robert will be joining us for our leadership conference. Dr. Tierney is an international educator whose passion is for developing research partnerships to address local literacy needs with educators in different countries. He began his career as a classroom teacher in Australia, then proceeded to work in the United States, Canada, and China. He is most familiar to us from his publications and time as dean emeritus and professor emeritus of Language and Literacy Education at the University of British Columbia. Stay tuned for more information.

New Members Book Club:

Our vice-president, Larkyn Froese, is in the process of organizing a book club of some of our newer BCLCILA members to inspire some good conversation with a social twist.

BC Lit Council Booth at Tidal WAV – The Wild About Outdoor Learning Festival

Due to the big success of the BC Lit Council scavenger hunts and book give away at the Tidal WAV (Wild About Vancouver) in Stanley Park last spring, we will again be part of this Outdoor Learning Festival on Saturday, May 27th. Larkyn Froese is chairing the committee that will be exploring ideas to promote literacy and indigenous ways of knowing in an outdoor context. Despite the torrential rain last year, it was a fun event that brought out over 400 participants.

Join Us

The Executive Council of BC Literacy Council values new ideas and new members. We aspire for our council to mirror the population we serve. Participation in the BC Literacy Council means different things to different people. It looks good on a resume. The volunteerism ends in some purposeful programs and projects. However, throughout my career I have most valued the space to step back and reflect on my work as a literacy educator with other people interested in doing the same thing. Those conversations started at meetings but continued in hot tubs, coffee shops, restaurants, beaches, and parks. Please consider joining us and bring colleagues interested in building a literacy network and continuing down a rich and purposeful path.

Please reach out for any more information or input into future directions. All the very best for the coming year!

Carrie Froese
President – BC Literacy Council of the International Literacy Association

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Thanks to all the people who attended the Annual General Meeting of the British Columbia Literacy Council online and in person at the Sylvia Hotel in Vancouver. The new updated bylaws were passed. Thanks to Karen Addie, Garth C. Brooks and Mike Bowden for their work on bringing this to completion. Thanks to Kathryn Ransdell for showing up to take minutes one last time.

We are please to welcome Susan Ruzic to the BCLCILA Executive Committee. She was a teacher in Coquitlam for many years and may be familiar from her social justice work with the British Columbia Teachers' Federation. She is very interested in how literacy can become a pathway for Indigenous, Black, people of colour, LGBTQ2S+, neurodivergent and people with disabilities to break barriers and participate in our journey forward.

Thanks to the members willing to continue to serve on the BCLCILA Executive and their efforts to invite others in. See the Meet the Executive tab for pictures and bios.

Thank you to Garth C. Brooks for his long service and contributions to our provincial council. We wish you the best of luck as you focus your attention on the International Literacy Association Canadian Special Interest Group (CSIG) and local politics.

Thanks to Kelly Patrick for her work as Member at Large and Membership Coordinator. Your session on Literacy Through Cookbooks will go down as your piece de resistance!

Thanks to Kathryn Ransdell for her time as secretary. We appreciated your thoroughness with minutes, your perceptions as a parent and tutor of students who struggle with literacy acquisition. Your contribution on our Graphic Novel panel was inspired. We may have to invite you back for a repeat session. All the best in Omaha, Nebraska!

The newly elected executive met for a working meeting immediately after the AGM 22.

Our Vice-President, Larkyn Froese, will again be spearheading this very popular and successful event. Despite torrential rain, 400 kids showed up in Stanley Park and the BCLCILA Booth was one of the favourites. In 2023, BCLCILA booth will again include a scavenger hunt and a give-away of outdoor learning books. This year BCLCILA will also be sponsoring two B.C. authors to do book talks featuring their books in the covered picnic area at Second Beach at this Wild About Outdoor Learning Festival. Stay tuned for more details.

After our AGM and working meeting, we headed to the restaurant in the Sylvia Hotel for dinner and to enjoy the live musicians. Our place by the fire, looking out at the ocean and the snow added to the ambiance. The discussion meandered through the "Science of Reading", "The Joy" required to created lifelong readers, Indigenous authors and our own reading. We're hoping to be able to facilitate some of these rich discussion with BCLCILA members. Face to face is the best! Stay tuned.

COVID, inflation, and increased job stress have made it challenging for teachers to do their jobs let alone participate in meaningful professional development. We are looking for ways that we can support the literacy learning of educators in B.C. Remember that all International Literacy Association members living in British Columbia are automatically BCLCILA members. We have put aside money in the budget to implement new ideas this year. Please send suggestions to bcliteracyila@gmail.com Stay tuned for more opportunities.

Annual General Meeting, 2022

British Columbia Literacy Council of the International Literacy Association

Sylvia Hotel - On English Bay
1154 Gilford Street, Vancouver, BC
(Free Parking underground; entrance in back of hotel)

Or join Zoom Meeting

ca01web.zoom.us/j/62801089106?pwd=M0h1cXUwdUlpbVdCNHVqSG9uRFBIQT09
Meeting ID: 628 0108 9106, Passcode: 697073

Documents for download:
AGM 2022 Agenda
AGM 2022 Proposed By-laws
BCLCIRA Nomination form

See also the 2021 AGM minutes: agm-2021_minutes.pdf.